


Another Coffee Shop? - Part2

by rayonfrozenwings



Series: renee celebrates 1K (on tumblr) by writing from follower prompts [4]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Modern AU, Throne of Glass, coffee shop AU, fan fiction, renee celebrates 1k, rowaelin, tog - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:49:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayonfrozenwings/pseuds/rayonfrozenwings
Summary: So I started a Prompt: Coffee Shop AU as a part of my 1k Celebration and it got a little long.So here is some more.





	Another Coffee Shop? - Part2

#  Another Coffee Shop? - Part 2

 

Rowan had spent the last two weeks training Aelin, she was right about being a fast learner and she managed to not offend the customers, shifting her personality with whoever seemed to walk in the door. She would never be a barista though. Rowan was still trying to figure her out. Secrets. She was keeping secrets. He told himself again and again that he didn't care as long as she did her job. 

She had managed to make fast friends with the group and she didn’t appear to have taken any special interest in any of them so maybe she would last the distance like the rest of them seemed to. 

“Do you want one?” Rowan asked as he made himself a coffee, she squished her nose up and shook her head. 

“I’d love a hot chocolate.” she said sweetly with eyelashes fluttering at him. 

Rowan shook his head as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“You know, making coffee would be a lot easier if you drank it, didn’t you say you liked coffee when I hired you?” he paused as if trying to remember the moment. 

“Ahh that, well… I might have been exaggerating, I love the smell of coffee in particular, but the taste needs to be drowned in sugar.” She quickly looked at her phone and wiped down the counter.

“Have some place to be?” he asked, looking up at the clock on the wall himself, the minute hand almost at half past nine, she’d be heading to school soon. Late classes were a good match to her busy morning shift. 

“Just keeping track.” she leaned over the counter, trying to reach the front edge, her black jeans hugging her muscled legs as they peeked out from her apron. The milk jug frothed over and he swore.

“Language Mr Whitethorn!” Aelin said in a teasing tone, continuing to stretch for that last speck of dust. 

“You could just walk around the front.” Rowan replied gruffly, cleaning up the mess before him, adding the milk to the hot chocolate in her quote covered travel mug. She walked past him, a little closer than she normally would and said so quietly he almost didn't catch it. 

“But then you wouldn’t get to look at my glorious ass.” 

He turned to her sharply, surprised that she had called him out for what he thought was subtle appreciation. She laughed sharply and swiped that small patch in front of the coffee machine before coming back. 

“You know, if you like me you could always try asking me out.” she threw the cloth on the counter, “but right now I have a class to get to.”

she spun around, moving a mile a minute as she pulled off her apron and grabbed her belongings. 

Fenrys walked in through the door as she walked out. 

“You in this afternoon?” he asked delaying her exit.

“I’m not rostered, but I might stop by on my way home. Depends if I want a chocolate croissant.” she said to him. He nodded back and walked into the back. 

“Aelin.” Rowan called, she turned and saw he was holding the travel mug.

“Oh - thanks.” the moment seemed to stretch on while she looked for words she hadn’t prepared. “I… better go, I don’t want to be late.” and she took the hot chocolate from him and attempted to leave once more.

__

 

She may have started liking Rowan right around the first time she met him, but she would never admit it. When she had been keeping an eye on the place, before she started to work here, he seemed to be the least sleazy. The other boys always had an arm around a shoulder or an easy smile for the customers. Rowan was stoic and smiled occasionally if he was amused. Rowan was a closed book that she wanted to lift the cover on, see if she liked the story. 

That encounter on the first day had cemented her thoughts and feelings, Fenrys liked to win, liked to charm, and was actually a really awesome guy after they had both figured out how the other one worked. He was probably one of her best friends in this city now. Lorcan was still a Jerk, but managed to have friends, somehow, so maybe you warmed to him over time? She wasn’t sure yet. And Rowan. Rowan was. Rowan was a good teacher, and patient, and thoughtful but he didn't want anyone to know he was thoughtful. And that was kind of charming. 

Aelin had led an interesting life and this city was a fresh start. New apartment and new job and new university and now new friends. So although the course material was familiar nothing else was. She would have preferred not to have had to study after last year, maybe take a gap year to find herself, but her cousin wouldn’t have that. He was going to look out for her and so she needed to look out for herself or some nonsense he rabbited on at her when she had stopped listening. Sometimes he had no idea about her life. Aelin had always been looking out for herself - sometimes she just looked out for other people too. 

The day was dragging on, this lecturer and his sweater would not stop talking. Maybe she should take up coffee just so she could stay awake. Aelin pulled out her phone and a text from Fenrys was there,

\- Want to go out to a club tonight -

Aelin's fingers quickly moved across the phone.

__\- Its a school night -  
\- When has that stopped you before? -  
___\- Ok where are we heading? -  
_\- Out -

Aelin knew she wouldn’t get an answer unless she carefully crafted the next message.  


_\- Should I go home and change? Or meet you at Havana -_  
\- change . You probably smell. -  
__\- Thanks -  
__\- Hey, i’m just looking out for you, you’ll never meet anyone if you smell bad -

Aelin rolled her eyes and put the phone face down on her desk. Sweater man was still talking about some ancient book. Only another 5 minutes to go and she could start the walk home. The boy next to her slid his phone across her desk space nudging her as he did so. Aelin tried to focus on the ugly sausage-dog sweater and ignore him. He nudged her again and pointed to the phone with his pen. The contacts page was pulled up and it said “new hot girl” and he had the cursor flashing in the phone number section of the contact page. 

Aelin just looked at him, the stare she used to scare men in bars. He smiled back not realising the situation he was getting into. Then she smiled sickly sweet and picked up the phone. The boy thought he had “won” and Aelin changed the name and handed it back to him. His smile dropped and he put his phone away. Class ended and the boy was gone faster than Aelin could put her books in her bag. 

“Hey” said a girl from behind her. 

“Hey” Aelin said back, small talk was always awkward. 

“What did you write on his phone to make him flee?” a glimmer in her green eyes as she asked. 

“You saw that?” 

“I was watching, it always pays to watch.”

“I changed the name to “the girl who will cut your balls off if you talk to me again” and he seemed to get the message.” 

The girl laughed and a few of the other people remaining looked their way at the loud laugh. 

“I’m Lysandra, we should be friends - you seem like my sorta people.” 

“I’m Aelin, maybe you should see the sort of friends I have first - I wouldn't want to scare you away in a few weeks, might as well know what you are getting yourself into.” 

Lysandra’s perfectly maintained eyebrow arched and she said “when exactly would I do that?” and Aelin smiled back.  

 

\---

 

Rowan and Fenrys were closing up the coffee shop, in fact they had been stalling for the last 20 minutes. 

“Why are we meeting her here?” Rowan asked, he hated wasting time. 

“I didn’t think she would take this long - hang on i’ll text her, maybe she got held up?”

\- Where are you? -

Fenrys mopped the floor while Rowan stacked chairs, the shop had been empty for the last hour and Rowan had cleaned the coffee machine a long time ago. They were finding jobs to do while they waited for Aelin. Jobs they tried to avoid or fob off to the next shift usually. 

“Maybe we can just meet her at the bar?” he offered.

“I didn't tell her where we were going, she wont know where to meet us.” Fenrys looked at his phone again, still no response. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told her she smelled bad - she could be soaking in the bath while we wait.” Rowan couldn’t help but start to think of a huge bath with her in it. He shook his head trying to banish the thought and grabbed a glass of water. 

“I just cleaned the last of those!”

“It will be fine in the sink overnight, Lorcan has done worse to us, a single glass won’t be a problem.” Rowan said. He wasn’t wrong. Lorcan was a moody bastard and totally unpredictable.  

The bell on the door rang out and they both turned to see a brunette beauty in the doorway. Skinny Jeans, long flowing hair and a silk blouse. Rowan just stood there looking at her -  the sign said closed. Fenrys smile spread, body language instantly changed, walking over to her like he would escort her to a ball. Aelin poked her head out from behind the beauty and said “sorry i’m late” stopping Fenrys in his tracks.

“Bloody text me next time! I don't need the drama Aelin.” the charm offensive stalled and he stormed off into the back room. 

“Don't mind him he just hates doing extra work when he could skive off early. Ready?” Rowan said as Lysandra looked at him again. He was still in the same work clothes from earlier today, Black Jeans, Black tee, Black boots - sans apron. His tattoos poked out from beneath the t-shirt. He started to feel like he should be wearing a jacket to cover up, but the summer heat prevented it.

Aelin started talking again once Fenrys was well and truly out of the room. 

“Where are we going? Fenrys wouldn’t tell me. and I made a friend, that's why I'm late. So Lysandra is coming along too.” Aelin was watching for a reaction but found none. Lysandra had been watching quietly taking them all in. 

“Aelin says I might not get along with you, but I think you all just like to wear black. Nothing scary at all. Personally I would have tried a different colour, black is a bit - predictable.” Lysandra’s cool voice like silk spread throughout the room. She had been judging them too it seemed. 

“I have clothes at my place to change into.” he said as he started to lock up. 

Fenrys emerging from out the back with his bag, “Come on, We have to go to Whitethorn's place so I can use his shower, if you had just told me you were running late we could have met you there!” Fenrys’ mind was going a mile a minute. “Now we are going to have to rush, and getting my hair looking great takes time!” he was being over dramatic but Lysandra seemed to smile at the theatrics of it all. 

Aelin rolled her eyes “Yeah -  _ Your  _ hair takes time, not like my hair that is at least 5 times as long.”

“It’s not easy being a greek god, mine is a work of art.” he grinned back at her as he shot past her through the door. 

She shouted back as she followed “Then whats mine!”.

"In a braid! These curls take maintenance!"

Rowan just ignored them and finished his tasks, closing the door behind him.  

 

\---

 

Rowan’s place was nothing like she expected. He lived alone in a two bedroom place which seemed like a waste, the lounge and kitchen connected with a small table in between. An electric guitar hung on the wall in one of those special hooks and an amp on the floor below. The place was exceptionally organised and minimalist. Apart from the guitar, you wouldn't realise a real human lived here. It looked like a show-room. Aelin wondered if his bedroom would be similarly bare. 

“Fenrys you go first, I don’t want to have to wait for you to blow dry your hair.” Rowan said as he put the key on the kitchen counter. 

“Good idea, old man.” and he went through the door that must have led to the bathroom.

“Do you have any snacks?” Aelin asked.

Rowan made his way to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out a small packet of chocolate biscuits. “Do you know if we are getting food on the way?” he asked.

Aelin grabbed a biscuit and between bites she mumbled “he’s told me nothing, I could starve.” 

Rowan offered some to Lysandra who politely took one and walked over to the window. 

“How high up are you here?” she asked.

“Not too far, just enough to see the harbour, I like watching the birds when a storm comes in. You guys want a drink or anything, I have whisky or wine or soda in the fridge?” he was reserved, not hiding anything per-say, he only spoke when asked something though. Aelin realised he did the same thing at work. It wasn’t as if he tried to keep himself a secret, she just hadn't been asking the right questions. Maybe she just needed to ask more. 

“How long have you been here?” she climbed up onto the bench and sat there, he looked at her, his head tilted slightly. 

“Hasn’t anyone told you it’s rude to sit where food is prepared?” 

She smiled, if she was at work she would have made a comment about him thinking about her ass again, but Lysandra was close and she wasn’t sure how much she wanted to give away just yet. So instead she saluted him and climbed down onto a lower chair. 

“You can’t blame a girl for trying to be eye level with the person she’s talking to.” 

“I suppose. I’ve been here a few years, I have a nice routine, no drama, so I can’t complain.” the way he said it was so robotic, like he had decided this was how he was going to live the rest of his life.

“Do you have goals?” Aelin asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“What are they?” her voice pierced through the room with her directness. 

“None of your business" he whispered then shouted "- Fenrys Hurry UP!” 

So maybe he was a little harder to crack than she thought. Fenrys came out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a towel, muscles on his chest and arms rippling. Lysandra turned around and Aelin could swear it was hunger in her eyes, but said nothing. Rowan walked past Fenrys and into the bathroom whispering something as he did. Fenrys had a look of mock surprise and Aelin could have guessed what Rowan said. 

“I thought I was fast, and for the record - i’m not showing off.” Fenrys said so everyone could hear, he wiggled his eyebrows as he said it though. “I’ll just do the rest of my beauty routine in there and be out soon.” A grin was plastered on his face directed at the new person in the group.  He entered one of the bedrooms. 

“Well your friends are certainly interesting, but I have to wonder why you think I wouldn’t like to hang around handsome guys?” Lysandra posed the question.

“They are putting on the charm for you, believe me they can be assholes, luckily Lorcan isn’t coming out.” Aelin grabbed another biscuit and went to snoop in the cupboard. 

“Have you been here before?” Lysandra asked.

“Nope!” 

“Its pretty stark”

“Indeed.”

“Do you wonder why?”

“I do.”

“Are you a lady of few words or just like to keep your plans to yourself?” 

Aelin turned to Lysandra, this time she had a piece of chocolate in her hand. “I’m not sure yet, I’m figuring out the dynamic, I think rather than speak when i’m figuring things out. I’m a “newbie” here as much as you are.”

Lysandra took the chocolate from her hand and took a bite. Offering it back afterward, Aelin smiled and took another piece from the cupboard. 

“At least Rowan has a good stock of chocolate, I might have to visit him more often.” 

“He’d probably like that.” Lysandra said.

“What would I like?” Fenrys walked up behind Lysandra, blockading the girls into the kitchen where they had been snooping and stealing chocolate treats. 

“Not you! hate to burst your bubble there Mr Ego.” Aelin offered him some chocolate as well. He took it. 

“Ah well,” he said “I can’t always be on your mind Aelin.”

They heard two doors open and shut, Rowan must have finished. 

“Are you going to tell me where we are going yet?” Aelin asked.

“I’ve made you wait this long, why not wait a little longer? Surely the anticipation is just as rewarding as the end product.” he winked at Lysandra as he said it. Aelin hit him. She hated waiting, She hated not knowing even more. Good thing she trusted these two or she wouldn't be going anywhere.

 

\---

 

It seemed like Rowan had taken forever but he was actually rather efficient, and he had switched out his Black tee to a forest green one. Whether it was because of Lysandra or he had always intended to wear the green he would never say. Fenrys was cagey about where they were going, at least they could walk there - perks of living in the inner city. 

The sun was still in the sky hiding behind the towering buildings, shadows cast through alleys and over neon signs. Fenrys leading the way like a wolf on a scent and Lysandra and Aelin talking close behind him, leaving Rowan to come up the rear. He didn't mind, the narrow streets made it hard for them to all walk together without spilling onto the road. 

They headed towards the clubs, it was still early but they did all have work in the morning, apart from Lysandra, he wasn’t sure what her deal was, her clothing suggested she came from money, but she seemed to fit in very well with them all. A little bit of an enigma, and she had bonded with Aelin incredibly fast for only having met her today. Rowan liked her but was still trying to figure her out, a task made harder when he was left out of conversation by the other three. At least Fenrys had promised to shout them all dinner. He slowed down outside two large wooden doors. Fenrys looked at his phone and knocked 3 times before stepping back towards the street. 

“Its exclusive.” he said as if in answer to everyone's looks. Lysandra appeared to have paled slightly. Aelin had been quiet as soon as they slowed near the doors. The hairs on the back or Rowan’s neck stood on end. A smaller door opened within the larger one and a man came out to talk to Fenrys. Fenrys seemed disheartened and said “thanks anyway” before coming back to the street. Turning to the rest of them he said, “Turns out my info was wrong, its not open tonight,” and to his phone he said “I’m going to kill him.”

“Lets just go to the usual club, this place gives me the creeps” Aelin said quickly, glancing towards Lysandra and back towards Rowan, something in her eyes telling him that he needed to get them out of there right now. 

“I’ll lead the way, Lysandra? Will you walk with me? These two keep occupying your time and I’d love to hear more about you.” It seemed to pull Lysandra from wherever she had been and relief shone in Aelin’s eyes. Who ever’s door they had just knocked on, Lysandra had known something, and escaping from here seemed the best idea.

 

**Author's Note:**

> also a part 3 to come.


End file.
